Our Mediterranean cruise concluded in Barcelona, arriving about 5 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon, allowing us a final overnight on the ship before disembarkation early Sunday morning. We ladies had already planned for an additional night in a hotel in Barcelona before returning to our “real” lives (work, laundry, cooking) via flights home on Monday. We decided to grab a cab into town (the cruise terminal is only a few miles, at most, from Las Ramblas) as soon as the ship docked so that we could get a quick sense of the city and how we might want to spend our next day there. One of the things I loved about this trip is how it brought home to me again how very different and exciting each city can be. I had read descriptions of Barcelona — its abundance and variety of amazing architecture, its vibrant vibe, its position on the cutting edge of all things modern while dwelling gracefully with its wealth of history — and all of them got it right, as much as one can try to capture in words the pulse of this place. Gothic churches, Modernist buildings, post-modern hotels and tree-shaded boulevards lined with 18th-century mansions provide visual delight without a jarring note, all of them somehow coexisting with and complementing each other. Beyond the physical attributes the city enjoys, there is a palpable energy here, neither frenetic nor keenly focused on one industry or sector, but providing a current of exuberant living one senses underlying every aspect of daily life. We plunged into that river of energy at the top (north end) of Las Ramblas, the city’s famous, primarily pedestrian boulevard which runs from the Placa Catalunya to Port Vell, terminating at the towering Colon (Christopher Columbus) Monument. Deciding to stroll the length of the almost-one-mile avenue, we were immediately surrounded by crowds of people, citizens and tourists alike, making their way home from work or shopping the myriad booths lining the way. Las Ramblas is edged on either side by a one-lane roadway (one headed north, the other south), and between these two is an expanse of pavement shaded by a double row of towering elms, embroidered by lush planter boxes and powered by commerce in every direction. One area was primarily devoted to flower- and plant-sellers, offering everything from herbs to orchids, cut flowers to cacti. There were the to-be-expected cosmetic, jewelry, art and clothing booths alongside those selling cellphones and domestic goods for the home. Most interesting of all, perhaps, was a whole section where small creatures, suitable as pets for city dwellers in not-so-spacious apartments, were sold. Cages full of brightly colored songbirds vied with more unusual options including reptiles, gerbils and honeygliders and large insects (I didn’t venture very close to those!). We looked briefly into La Boqueria, Barcelona’s large public market which opens on to Las Ramblas, but decided our limited time wouldn’t allow a satisfactory exploration of its tempting displays of what seemed to be everything one could possibly want. Knowing that the market would be closed on Sunday, I reluctantly followed our group back to the boulevard, tempted to make a dinner of whatever appealed at those colorful and crowded tables. Oh well, it just means I’m meant to return to Barcelona for a more extended stay in the future! Although we had been warned to be careful of pickpockets and the more “seedy” aspects of the southern end of Las Ramblas, we were cautious but felt comfortable in our meanderings, if a little overwhelmed at the sensory overload. The group decided to return to the ship for our final, late dinner aboard (I was still yearning for some tastes from La Boqueria) and to attack the city fresh in the morning. Our taxi conversation on the drive back to the dock was full of possibilities and options — clearly we would need to make some hard decisions on how to spend a single, completely insufficient day in this amazing city. More on that, tomorrow. –Patty Vanikiotis, proofreader Global Traveler has joined the world of social marketing. For breaking news, special offers and much more, fan us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter @Gtmag!